LUVTruck.com

I bent me clutch pedal a little, and bent the bracket that hold it in place...

Well I have to take the whole bracket out (the clutch, and brake pedals are attached to it and it goes from the firewall to the dash). I was wonder if I had to take out the Steering Column to do this... From what I can see it looks like I have too...

Also if I do have to take out the Steering Column how do I remove it and do I have to take out the rear window to do so, also how do I remove that?

Here are some pictures of the bracket...
The crappy weld was my friend's attemp to fix it, before it got this bad... But with the small area he had to work with he couldn't.
You can also see how on the clutch part of the bracket the metal is "torn".






Thanks

remove the cover on the steering column. unbolt the column from the firewall, and at the bracket by the bottom of the dash. disconnect the wiring for the hazard and blinker switches. loosen the bolt at the coupler right above the steering gearbox. pull the wheel toward the rear window. you might need to take out the bolt underneath the column cover to pull the column all the way out, but you shouldn't have to take the back window out.

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Thanks for the quick reply. I was supposed to have to truck fixed about 2 weeks ago, and now my step dad is getting mad. I'm glad that I shouldn't have to remove the window because my truck is parked across the street form my house, and not having a rear window for any period of time probably wouldn't be good, especially since its winter...

I went thru the whole shebang 6 months ago. Take the column loose down at the steering box. Unbolt the column from the underside of the dash. Disconnect the wiring and lower the column. This gives you enuf room to drop the clutch/brake pedals mount bracket straight down after you disconnect the linkages. It all goes easier and faster with the seat out. I ordered a new bracket from my Chevy dealer and had it beefed up at a welding shop.

How much did the new bracket cost you? I was going to try to salvage this one and make it stronger but if I can get a new one to work with it would prbably be a lot easier.

I did this same deal a couple years back. I had to unbolt the column from the dash because the same bolts hold the bracket in place, but that was it. Pull the gauges, unbolt the bracket and remove pedals, pull the bracket out through the hole the gauges sit in. Other than wrestling with the wiring bundle, it was really not that hard in my case. I ended up pulling it out in the parking lot of a resort while on vacation with just a few of my tools to work with. The only thing I had working in my favor that I can think of was that my column is shifted about 1/2 inch down at the firewall to line things up after a body lift, but I don't remember it really getting in the way at all. The shaft out of the brake master cylinder was the thing I remember getting in the way wriggling the bracket out. I spent more time trying to get the thing out the bottom than I did anything else. Once I decided it would come out the top through the gauge cluster hole it was sitting in my hands ten minutes later.

The trick to getting the gauges out is three wingnuts. One in the middle of the end towards the radio/ashtray, and two at the corners of the end next to the vent.

Once you have it out you can do a lot more welding it up. I didn't add any metal other than MIG wire and it turned out much stronger than it came from the factory. You could really truss the heck out of it though and make it bullet proof.

Just for some info , when I got my truck I went to the dealer to see if they caried anything for the luv still and the only thing they said they can get is the clutch pedal becouse they are allways breaking.

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My old but now gone Luv...

I am so glad you guys put this info up. I am about to get myself into the same project. Mine is cracked and was spot welded at one time, now it is time to replace. Good thought getting the bracket beefed up. I might just do that as well. Thanks.

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http://www.purerockradio.net/

been there, done that, bought the damn tshirt .....those things are so cheaply made ....i ended up patching mine back together w/ some heavier guage metal and a MIG. it held up but i was gonna build a new one outta 1/8 steel....

the only futher advise i have is watch when you hook the brakelight switch up. for some reason the 2 wires can be switched and your brake lights WILL NOT WORK!!!.....i discovered this after driving around for about 3 months AFTER i fixed it......amazing what you find out when you back up into a dark garage

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

I did post about 6 months ago, the part number and cost of the clutch bracket but damned if I can find it. Maybe somebody else can search this stock forum and find it. And I had it beefed up before I installed it. Be sure to lube the clutch cable, too. I pulled it out and cleaned it out and ran 30w oil through it.

Robert, here you go....



Also a bit earlier in that same thread you said it cost $70.

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diarmadhim
Good for you. I got frustrated trying to find it. What'd you put into the search bocks?

"Pedal" gave me 115 matches then I started looking for your name and comparing to the post title.

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AHA! I was using "clutch bracket." DUH, I was using the cure not the problem. Dumb me.

New here, but have been reading for awile. I had the same problem. When the clutch bracket first bent, I replaced the C-clip with a piece of coathanger that was attached to a turn-buckle then to the dash. I used the turn-buckle to tighten the clutch support rod to its original position. This eventually broke (in a parking lot during my morning run). I got the bracket out by removing the instrument cluster and worming the bracket through that hole. After soldering I still use the coathanger set up for reinforcement

You did mean welding and not soldering, didn't you?

Oops. Yes, welding. Details, details.

Just fixed that on my truck 2 months ago. Found out why it bent in my truck. The plastic bushing in the clutch pedal is worn and has a little groove the stopper that keeps the pedal in place slipped into. Me and dad welded reinforcements onto the bracket and I put washers behind the pedal to hold it in place. Works good as new!!